Hi Friends,
I am enjoying doing a little writing mentoring this week. So, keep your questions coming...
Here is one that I received yesterday-
When you have a manuscript at a publishers for their consideration, how long do you wait before you contact them? Which is better for contacting - by email or phone?J. Wolfe
August 22, 2007 4:31 PM
***answer***
I know this waiting period can be excruciating! But, be patient especially if you submitted something to a publisher this summer. The publisher's year culminates in an event each summer called ICRS held in July. At this large retailer's show, publishers are inundated with proposals both from their existing authors as well as potential authors. When they return home from this show, many of them take their family vacations and don't even think about looking at the large stack of proposals until late August. My suggestion to you would be to e-mail if you have not heard anything in 12 weeks. Wait and see if you get a response to your e-mail. If not, then call and ask to speak to the editor's assistant. Keep both your call and e-mail short, sweet, and to the point.
If I was inquiring about my proposal, I would phrase my request something like this:
"Hi Mr. Smith,
My name is Lysa TerKeurst and I had the privilege to meet you at XYZ writer's conference. I am writing to inquire about the status of my proposal. I had some exciting interest in my proposal but I didn't want to move ahead without hearing from you. (If this is true...but if you submitted your proposal to more than one publishing house, hopefully this is true.) I so enjoyed our meeting and have the utmost respect for your publishing house. Looking forward to hearing from you at your convenience.
Sincerely, Lysa TerKeurst"
Another thing to consider is checking out a literary agent. They are the pros at getting book proposals in the publisher's hands and keeping tabs on where your proposal is in the whole process. Let me know if anyone would like more information on agents.
Also, if you have a question that you'd like an acquisition editor to weigh in on, send me that as well and I'll poll some of my publishers to get an answer for you.
Happy Writing! Keep those questions coming...
Blessings!
I am enjoying doing a little writing mentoring this week. So, keep your questions coming...
Here is one that I received yesterday-
When you have a manuscript at a publishers for their consideration, how long do you wait before you contact them? Which is better for contacting - by email or phone?J. Wolfe
August 22, 2007 4:31 PM
***answer***
I know this waiting period can be excruciating! But, be patient especially if you submitted something to a publisher this summer. The publisher's year culminates in an event each summer called ICRS held in July. At this large retailer's show, publishers are inundated with proposals both from their existing authors as well as potential authors. When they return home from this show, many of them take their family vacations and don't even think about looking at the large stack of proposals until late August. My suggestion to you would be to e-mail if you have not heard anything in 12 weeks. Wait and see if you get a response to your e-mail. If not, then call and ask to speak to the editor's assistant. Keep both your call and e-mail short, sweet, and to the point.
If I was inquiring about my proposal, I would phrase my request something like this:
"Hi Mr. Smith,
My name is Lysa TerKeurst and I had the privilege to meet you at XYZ writer's conference. I am writing to inquire about the status of my proposal. I had some exciting interest in my proposal but I didn't want to move ahead without hearing from you. (If this is true...but if you submitted your proposal to more than one publishing house, hopefully this is true.) I so enjoyed our meeting and have the utmost respect for your publishing house. Looking forward to hearing from you at your convenience.
Sincerely, Lysa TerKeurst"
Another thing to consider is checking out a literary agent. They are the pros at getting book proposals in the publisher's hands and keeping tabs on where your proposal is in the whole process. Let me know if anyone would like more information on agents.
Also, if you have a question that you'd like an acquisition editor to weigh in on, send me that as well and I'll poll some of my publishers to get an answer for you.
Happy Writing! Keep those questions coming...
Blessings!
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